I've advised many cultural institutions,
and basically, there are two types of personalities. On the one hand,
there are the professionals who see quickly or over time that accessibility
can be integrated into what they are already doing; and, on the other,
there are the professionals who see change as an addition and a burden.
With the former, it's "Oh, yeah, I see how we can ."
and they get to work. With the latter, there's little creativity.
They may even think of themselves as "above" or "beyond"
accessibility issues when, in fact, they have much to learn and to
do.

I want to hear two things from a museum
that asks for my advice. One, I want to have the sense that they have
goals and are willing to take some action. In other words, they will
listen to my suggestions. And two, I want to hear that they are serious
about building a relationship between their institution and the community.

I like to work as a member of a team
that includes people with various disabilities. People are different,
even people who use wheelchairs. A team makes for a more rounded perspective.
When looking at an exhibit, for example, I've found that it helps
first to explore the exhibit--to have some hands-on time. I've found
that as we explore, we become more comfortable with each other. Soon
we are being creative about access. A, Vermont

When you call an Independent
Living Center (ICL) you may reach a staff person who knows the
ADA and is an expert on accessibility or you may reach someone who
does I&R (information and referral). Staff may or may not have
time to participate as advisors. It's more likely that you can expect
some of the ILC's consumers to participate. Ask how you can best reach
their consumers: if you can put an article in their newsletter or
send a request for advisors through an email list. A, Massachusetts

While working as the ADA coordinator
at my science center, I organized a meeting with six individuals who
could tell us from personal and professional experience about what
works for people who are deaf or people who are hard of hearing. Before
the meeting, I mailed each person an agenda, directions, a packet
of general info on the museum and its programs, and free passes. I
hired two sign language interpreters. We began with a brief tour and
then sat down to talk. Tour and discussion lasted two hours.

What did I learn? First, I wish I had
organized two separate meetings, one about issues for people who are
hard of hearing, and another for people who are Deaf. As I learned,
the problems these two groups experience are very different and more
time was needed to understand each set of issues.

For example, for visitors who are hard
of hearing, background noise in the museum is a huge problem. It is
sometimes so painful that the only solution is to turn off their hearing
devices.

For visitors who are Deaf, I learned
that language is very important. I learned from the man who teaches
Deaf students that their experience is similar to people for whom
English is their second language because American Sign Language is
grammatically different from English. Consequently, our museum staff
needs to make sure that our curriculum materials, exhibit labels,
etc., use clear, simple language. Also, it is likely that teachers
of Deaf students would appreciate receiving information prior to a
visit so they can familiarize their students with vocabulary and concepts.
L, Oregon

I have no formal advisory group, but
I have found it especially helpful when working with students who
are Deaf or hard of hearing to visit their classrooms. While I am
there, I pay careful attention to how students and teachers interact.
I make note of how a teacher gets the students' attention, how the
desks are arranged so that all students can see each other when signing,
and how a teacher gets difficult-to-sign information across. C,
New Jersey

Some people with disabilities are experts
on the ADA Standards for Accessible Design and some aren't. You can
expect good personal experiential advice, but for technical advice you
may need to contact your regional ADA
& Accessible IT Center. The ten regional Centers distribute
the ADA Standards, various checklists and other helpful publications.
They also answer technical assistance questions and many review plans
and drawings. You can reach yours by calling 1-800-949-4332. Remember,
they are not the "ADA police." Instead, they provide reliable
informationand it's free! K, Boston

The 2004 publication Accessible Temporary Events: A
Planning Guide, produced by The Center for Universal Design, North Carolina
University, is an excellent resource. Copies can be ordered by calling your regional
ADA technical assistance center: 800-949-4232 v/tty. The authors write: Early on in
the planning process, consider establishing contact with people with various
disabilities. While having a disability does not make one an expert on all issues, a
knowledgeable person can help locate resources or services and offer insightful
advice. It can be particularly helpful to have people with disabilities involved in
the selection of a site. In some instances, especially for large events, it may be
appropriate to establish an advisory committee. If members of the committee have a
range of disabilities and experience, individuals can help solve problems related to
their disability. Since access issues often have an architectural component, include
people who also have design experience. (p 17) S, Washington, DC